The Paris International Motor Show, was another occasion for CineNow! to bring you what’s hot with the latest Car Audio/Video devices : outstanding installations, in dash audio/video systems, iPod mania, Video screens, DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial) on the move … and more. And, we’ll bring you a number of exclusive product presentations in video clips as we progress through our visit !
This international event takes place every two years and over one and half million visitors are expected this year in Paris from September 30th till October 15th. What they’re coming to see are the 60 new vehicles on show and the 400 brands from 26 countries around the globe.
MTX, a MEGA Birthday!
The subwoofer specialist MTX Audio is 30 this year so JackHammer made it all the way over to the French capital to meet the fans here on the Cartel France stand.
But who is JackHammer? Well it’s simply the largest, biggest, heaviest and most powerful SuperWoofer in the world! 160 kilos, 56 cm in diameter, 58 cm high, 12,000 Watts for 8,500€. An impressive way for MTX to show off its “savoir-faire”!
Want to try to lift it up ?
Also on the stand was the new MTX THUNDER range of 5 amps which includes the 4×70 Watt X704 going for 300€.
The anodized aluminium casing sealed by the sleek chromed MTX logo hides Mosfet IRF transistors placed onto massive radiators. These babies make sure the X704 stays cool!
Click here to see our video clip presentation
Eclipse, legendary
Also at Cartel France, the legendary car audio line Eclipse had a lot for show. For over fifty years now Eclipse has been a leader in mobile electronics. The Fujitsu-Ten branch came on to the Car Audio market with the tube model designed for the Toyota Crown. In 1959, Eclipse built the first transistor car radio and has gone a hell of a lot further since!
The top-of-the-line AVN8826 (2,790€) is truly revolutionary with its 7” LCD touch panel, DVD player and 20 Go hard drive designed for navigation.
Clarion, iPod gives you the picture!
Just about anyone can plug in their iPod to their car radio and listen to their favorite MP3s on the road. But how many of us can boast doing the same with a video format via the iPod itself controlled by the touch screen? Available on two models for now with the Clarion MAX668RVD and the VRX868RVD but surely more to come…
Clarion also presented the DB568RUSB which, as you can readily guess from the name, includes a USB port. This car audio system will play your USB storage device’s audio files (MP3 & WMA) directly via the USB port. As for the audio specs, the DB568RUSB sports a 4×50 Watt amp, a Z-Enhancer equaliser and a bass re-enforcement circuit namely, M-Bass EX.
We also checked out the latest portable navigation systems by Clarion. The MAP560 and MAP360 are compact in size making it easy to carry anywhere but Clarion made a point of keeping them easy to manage. So what we have here is full touch control on a 3.5” TFT LCD with clear, meaningful directions displayed on a 2D or 3D format. Insert an SD card with favorite music files stored and your MAP navigation system will transform into a handy touch screen MP3 player.
The MAP560 comes with European maps pre-installed whereas the MAP360 contains only French ones (we are in Paris remember?!). Both models are able to receive all toll free TMC information, when connected to an optional interface and will display the speed limit relevant to your current location.
Click here to see our video clip presentation
Takara, 2 in 1
The Takara stand bustled with activity around the new portable DVD player and DVBT receiver. Built around an elegant 7” LCD touch panel the device hides a large slot on its side where you can connect either a DVD player or a DVBT receiver.
It only takes a couple of seconds to switch them over so you actually have two devices in one. All you have to do then is put on the headphones and enjoy a DVD or digital quality TV program.
And for those wanting to use the player/receiver in the car you can strap them onto the back of the seats with the included harness.
JBL, Green Eco-Bike, no motor but much more !
JBL managed to slip in a not-that-discrete green motorbike to this International Car Show!
But you can’t drive it off the stand !
Its most remarkable features were not only its flashy color but the great subwoofer replacing its tank and the two amps instead of the engine! A Portable PlayStation and two iPods have taken over the dash-board and speakers flourished all over the rest of the beast!
A real trunk full !
JBL also introduced its new GTO 300mm subwoofer that can take up to 1200 Watts and protected by aluminium casing. The baby was designed in a limited edition for JBL’s sixtieth birthday.
Same scenario with the GTO1060BR (250mm) and the GTO1260BR (300mm) rolled out in limited edition in a chromium finish bearing the special anniversary plate.
The GTI speakers series now holds two new two-way kits available in 13 or 16cm in the MKII version. The 50mm edge-wound aluminium voice coils and the ribbon-shaped wire allows for distortion-free extension of high frequencies and increased power handling. Such are the characteristics of the C508GTI and the C608GTI MKII.
The marineros out there wil clearly welcome the new multi-voice speakers, namely MS6200 (165mm) and MS9200 (150×230mm) and the two amps : MA6002 (2×60 Watts) and MA6004 (4×60 Watts).
All these devices are specially designed to resist hail and rain…
Infinity, Surf on the Wave
Have you ever heard of Wakeboard? It consists in surfing the waves of the boat that tows you along sometimes sending you a few meters above sea-level! Infinity added an extra pleasure to the trendy sport : music! The system’s made of : a marine 2×125 Watt amp, a pair of marine speakers and a mike. To complete the system you’ll need a music source and then just set the speakers up on the Wakeboard Tower and off you go flyin’!
For more conventional seafarers, Infinity brings out marine speakers boasting the company know-how. The 602M (160mm) and the 6902M (150×230mm) will offer music for the most demanding ears.
As for automobile aficionados, they should be ready to welcome the new Reference subwoofers.
Packed with one or two subwoofers and sporting the sophisticated Look&Feel finish, these babies are equipped with 300mm speakers that can take up to 1200 or even 1800 Watts.
Click here to see our video clip presentation
Kenwood, six smart USB !
Kenwood launches 6 car audio systems with USB connection. The idea is for the driver to access her music via USB hard drives or MP3 players connected to the unit.
This is all made easy with the 1.5m USB cable that comes with it and allows you to pop your MP3 player into the glove compartment. The four 1-DIN models feature a USB cable connection on the rearside while the 2-DIN models feature one at the front.
On a more extravagant note, Kenwood presented three vehicles equipped with outstanding sound systems. What’s even more amazing is there’s still enough space left for the engine!
It’s truly a change from a lot of other vehicles on show that wouldn’t actually take you anywhere… So thumbs up Kenwood!
Click here to see our video clip (Sorry French only)
Tokai MP3 “mobile” front panel
How about a car radio with a removable MP3 player? Well that’s what Tokai came up with for the Car Show here in Paris. The LAR-301RM front panel holds a 256 Mo MP3 player.
Once slotted back in to the car radio, the MP3 player recharges its battery while displaying your favorite radio station or CD tracks on its LCD screen. Fancy recording this tune off the radio onto your portable MP3 player? Tokai had thought of that one too and your tune’ll be encoded to MP3 in a click! Obviously the same operation is possible with the CD.
Here’s an optimal mobile music solution that enables you to make do without a computer. What?! OK, if you’d rather not chuck out your MAC or PC Tokai ships the LAR-301RM with a USB cable.
Click here to see our video clip presentation
Pioneer, iPod mania
Pioneer’s simply technologically obscene! First thing you see as you reach the stand is a humongous iPod around which are scattered the numerous demo vehicles. Clearly, focus is made on the connectivity of Pioneer products.
The Japanese manufacturer put a lot of effort into rendering its new range of car audio products perfectly iPod compatible. And hard work definitely pays off with your favorite player’s controls at your fingertip!
Pioneer also honored multimedia systems, presenting the award-winning AVIC-HD1BT chosen by EISA (European Imaging & Sound Association) as best European Multimedia Navigation System of the year.
Click here to see our video clip presentation
Alpine launches Blackbird
The Blackbird’s first trip to Europe! It’s a portable navigation system with a 9cm touch panel and a simple graphic interface.
It comes with Navteq Europe pre-installed onto the 4 Go hard drive and an SD/MMC port that’ll allow the system to play MP3 and WMA at top Alpine audio quality. Blackbird features vocal guidance, a TMC tuner and the system can be updated via the Internet.
The most interesting feature remains its integratibility to your existing system. All the information coming from Blackbird can be displayed on the original car panel and accessed from there! Same thing goes for MP3 or WMA files stored in the compatible SD/MMC.
Click here to see our video clip presentation of Blackbird
Click here to see our video clip of a BMW with Alpine sauce
Sevic Systems, it’s all in the head!
Fancy a headrest holding an integrated DVD system? Sevic Systems have got what you need! They offer a range of headrests designed for car entertainment, with made to measure cloth or leather. Simply provide them with your car model, interior specs and within a fortnight your headrests will be ready for installation!
They’ll replace your existing headrests and when you sell your car, you’ll keep them. Why not? Well, Sevic Systems can actually adapt and modify the DVD headrests to suit your new vehicle!
Another interesting range of products at the Sevic Systems stand was the Sevic Blue Laser line introduced for the first time in France. These are multimedia units as compact as a simple or double DIN car radio. They’re all equipped with 3.6" to 7" LCD panels, RDS tuner, MP3 player, MPEG4 player and even certain SD/MMC, USB, iPod, bluetooth or Multizone connections.